Robert Agnew's Strain Theory On Mentally Ill

Strain theory has a natural impact on mentally ill individuals. Due to the effects of strain, mentally ill persons are at higher risk to be affected negatively and turn to crime to relieve some of the strain. I postulate that strain theory has a direct effect on mentally ill individuals and encourages them to commit more crime, if they are unable to cope with the strain. Strain is brought on by many factors, including but not limited to social rejection, social relationships and socio-economics. Specific stressors/ strains that are most likely to cause mentally ill individuals to commit crime will be discussed. Real world examples of Robert Agnew’s strain theory and how societal pressures can put a substantial burden on those who already struggle with their own mental health symptoms will also be presented. Strain theory is correlated with mentally ill individuals committing

These emotions create pressure for corrective action, and crime is one possible response” (Agnew, 2001, pp. 319). According to Agnew (2001), if an individual interprets the strain as “unjust, high in magnitude, they have low self-control, and there is a pressure to engage in crime”, there is a high probability that the strain will result in a criminal act (pp. 320). A strain is defined as any factor that causes stress or has negative impact on an individual. If a person perceives strain as being unjust or unfair, anger will typically ensue and perhaps cloud their judgement. Agnew (2001) stated within his strain theory that anger has the largest effect on whether an individual commits a crime or not. This is because the emotion “disrupts cognitive processes in ways that impede noncriminal coping, reduces the actual and perceived costs of crime, and energizes the individual for action, creates a sense of power or control” (Agnew, 2001, pp.